Street-sweeper.



R. W. FURNAS.

STREET SWEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED 1u LY 23.1912.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

ROBERT W. FU'BNAS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

STREET-SWEEPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application filed July 23, 1912. Serial No. 711,146.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT WV. FURNAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Street-Sweeper, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of street sweepers, it is often necessary that the dirt first be loosened from the street surface in order for the dirtmoving means to operate efficiently.

It is the object of my invention to provide for the efficient loosening of such dirt before the dirt-moving means reaches it.

The various novel features of my inven tion will appear from the description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partial side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of the lower part of a street sweeper embodying my invention.

The sweeper frame 10 is mounted on wheels 11, and is provided with some suitable dirt-moving means. As shown, this dirt-moving means actually picks up the dirt, by pneumatic suction in a suitable hood 12.

In order for the hood 12 to act efficiently to pick up the dirt, the dirt must be loosened from the surface of the street. To this end the hood 12 is preceded by my improved dirt-loosening means. This comprises a set of closely arranged chains 1 each fastened at one end to and trailing from a cross bar 15, which is carried by chains 16 extending forwardly and upwardly from the cross bar to fixed pins or bolts 17 on the frame 10 and other chains 18 extending backwardly and upwardly from the cross bar to a suitable adjusting device, such as a hand Windlass 19, mounted in the frame 10. In the arrangement shown, one end of each chain 14 is attached to a rod 20, mounted below the cross bar 15 by suitable plates 21 at the ends of both cross bar 15 and rod 20.

By means of the Windlass 19, the cross bar may be adjusted in height about the pins 17 as an axis. By this adjustment, the chains may be made to drag on the street surface to any desired extent, or may be lifted clear of such surface, as when the machine is not operating as a sweeper. When the chains drag on the street surface, they effectually loosen all dirt adhering to such surface, so that the following hood 12 or other dirt-moving means may operate efficiently. If a chain 11 catches on any obstruction, the cross bar 15 swings upward about the pins 17 and lifts the chain clear of such obstruction.

Vhat I claim as new is:

1. In a street sweeper, the combination of a frame, and a dirt-loosening device suspended from said frame, said dirt-loosening device comprising a cross-bar, supports leading upward and forward from said cross bar to said frame, and a plurality of chains attached to said cross-bar and having free ends.

2. In a street-sweeper, the combination of a frame, and a dirt loosening device suspended from said frame, said dirt-loosening device comprising a cross-bar hung from said frame, and a plurality of chains attached to said cross-bar and having free ends.

3. In a street sweeper, the combination of a main body, a cross-bar flexibly suspended therefrom so as normally to clear the ground, and a plurality of flexible scrapers trailing from said cross-bar and having free ends.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 20th day of July, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twelve.

ROBERT W. FURNAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

